THE chief suspect in the murder of Quham Babatunde, who was nabbed today as he tried to flee the country, is classified by Gardai as a “wannabe gangster”.
The Irish Sun can reveal the hood is part of a gang of young thugs terrorising locals in the Balbriggan area of north Dublin.
Babatunde, 34, was stabbed to the chest and suffered other wounds to the body on South Anne Street in the capital in the early hours of Saturday morning.
The murder victim was standing back from a fight between two groups who had emerged from a Kojo Funds gig in the nightclub Twenty Two when he was targeted.
He was also kicked in the head after falling to the ground.
Following the attack – which was recorded on social media – investigators from Pearse Street station identified four suspects who attacked him.
The man suspected of stabbing him was arrested by the PSNI in Belfast as he boarded a ferry for Liverpool.
Gardai received intelligence on Sunday night that the chief suspect had fled Dublin and was planning to bolt to the UK.
Once the PSNI had received intelligence from the Gardai, they swooped on Belfast Port.
One source said: “The main suspect is nothing more than a wannabe gangster.
“Along with his associates, they regularly arm themselves with knives and aren’t afraid to use them.
“They are connected to a drug gang in the Corduff area and buy their drugs from them.
‘TRYING TO ASSERT THEMSELVES’
“They are trying to assert themselves as the main drug gang in the Balbriggan area.”
The second man was arrested in north Dublin after the Armed Support Unit stormed a property.
A third man was also arrested in connection with the probe after presenting himself to Pearse Street Garda Station.
Gardai are still hunting for another man after there was no sign of him when two other properties in Balbriggan and Swords were raided.
HUNT STILL ON
It’s understood they could be hit with a number of charges including violent disorder, assault and murder.
We can also reveal Gardai are hunting another three men who attacked people that night.
They are all part of the gang who are involved in street level drug dealing.
They have also been linked to a series of public order incidents in north Dublin and suspected of using weapons to intimidate people in recent months.
GARDA APPEAL
Following the arrest in Belfast, the Senior Investigating Officer will now travel north to meet with the PSNI.
Gardai have also urged anyone with information to come forward.
The suspect can be held by the PSNI for four days before being released or charged.
They will now run the investigation – with information and evidence supplied by the Gardai – under the new criminal jurisdiction act.
‘DISGUSTING’ AND ‘UNACCEPTABLE’
Quham was an asylum seeker, originally from Nigeria, who had no other family here.
It is understood he had been in Ireland for a number of years.
He had been living in Ballyogan IPAS accommodation centre, south of Dublin city, and was among the first residents accommodated there.
Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan said the violence was “disgusting” and “unacceptable”.
The Fianna Fail TD fumed: “The people involved need to know that they’ll be tracked down by An Garda Siochana and brought to justice. There were many people there in the evening who were part of the violence that took place on South Anne Street.
“They should hand themselves over now and those who weren’t part of the violence but have information should also bring that to the attention of An Garda Siochana.
“I want the people involved to know this type of violence is unacceptable in this city and in this country.
“The people involved in it will be brought to justice.”
